Dr. Eve Bargman will be joining the Curriculum Committee. Dr. Bargman is co-director of the PoM-1 course and a member of the General Medicine faculty.

The Committee discussed an outline developed by the Chair from the following documents:

Fundamental Objectives for Undergraduate Medical Education

Competencies Required of the Contemporary Physician

Expectations for the Curriculum

Criteria for Curricular Design, Implementation and Evaluation

These documents along with the education portion of the Decade Plan are the bedrock from which the Curriculum Committee will make changes to the curriculum.

Themes and Principles of the UVA Advanced Curriculum

Commit to programs of active learning to meet the changed learning needs of medical students

Address contemporary scientific, social and professional issues incorporating scientific and medical advances

Begin first year of study with DNA Molecular Biology and Human Behavior: Who we are as molecular and human beings.

Encourage student research

Continue limitation of class hours to allow for study and self-learning activities

Use simulation technology to prepare for and augment patient encounters

Provide an educational environment to support personal and professional development

Comments of Committee:

Knowledge base gained from Human Behavior course early in the first year would enhance the students patient interview skills.

Beginning first semester of medical school with a bang in the form of basic molecular genetics would help students make the transition from undergraduate to graduate school. It would also encourage students to begin thinking like professionals.

Packaging of the molecular genetics and human behavior information will be all important. It was suggested that each student have a basic patient interview set up within the first week of medical school to make them aware of how important the human behavior skills theyre learning will be to their future work as a physician.